Southern African Bloc Calls for Dialogue to Restore Peace and Security in DR Congo
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has called for dialogue among all parties to restore peace and security in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Seoul: The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has called for dialogue among all parties to restore peace and security in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
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The bloc expressed deep concern over the escalating violence, which is worsening the security and humanitarian crisis in the DRC. A communique issued at the conclusion of the SADC Heads of State and Government summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Friday highlighted these growing issues.
SADC condemned the recent attacks on the SADC Mission in the DRC by the M23, an armed group operating in the region. These actions, the bloc said, violated the ceasefire brokered through the Luanda Process on July 30, 2024, and further destabilized both the DRC and the wider SADC region.
The regional body also called for the immediate restoration of essential services in the conflict-affected areas, such as water, electricity, communications, and the supply of food and other basic necessities.
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Closing Remarks
In his closing remarks, the SADC Chairperson and Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, emphasized the need for lasting peace in the DRC. He urged all parties involved in the conflict to embrace dialogue and peaceful mechanisms for dispute resolution.
“It is the individual and collective duty of all member states to do much more towards permanently silencing the guns if we are to succeed in achieving these aspirations,” Mnangagwa stated.
The President also called on the international community to increase humanitarian aid to the affected populations and bolster ongoing peace and security efforts in the eastern DRC.
Humanitarian Crisis and Security Challenges
While stability is gradually returning to Goma, a key eastern city in the DRC, United Nations officials have warned that the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera and Mpox, is rising on the city’s outskirts.
“In Goma, the situation remains tense and volatile, with occasional shootings within the city, but overall, calm is gradually being restored,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, during a press briefing on Friday.
Lacroix also noted that while water and electricity have been restored in much of the city, the challenge of unexploded ordnance remains a significant obstacle to freedom of movement.
The city’s airport has suffered substantial damage, making runways unusable. As a result, aid cannot be delivered by air, and the only open route for supplies is through roads leading to neighboring Rwanda, as domestic transportation routes remain closed.
